Happy Birthday, Silent Night!
A blessed Christmas Eve to all.
Tonight, in our traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service we will sing Silent Night, along with people all around the world. What’s special in 2018 is that it marks the 200th anniversary of the singing of this matchless Christmas hymn on this night. In fact, our entire service will be formed around its message and its themes.
Here is a CBS Sunday Morning overview of Silent Night and its history:
And here is Silent Night as sung in its original language by the Dresden Choir.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute, hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht,
Durch der Engel Halleluja.
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da,
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund,
Christ, in deiner Geburt,
Christ, in deiner Geburt.
The Internet Monk Archives 
beautiful!
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Indeed – Merry Christmas to all. Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Silent night, holy night – everyone is sleeping; only the faithful high-holy pair are keeping watch.
Pure boychild with the curly hair, sleep in heavenly tranquility (the calm peace of silence, rest – Ruhe contains all these ideas).
Silent night, holy night – To shepherds the first tidings were brought through the Alleluia of the angels.
It’s sounding loudly from far and near: Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night – Son of God, O how love laughs from Your divine mouth!
The hour of salvation is tolling for us now, Christ, in Your birth.
Dana
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Wishing everyone on iMonk a joyous Christmas time. Thank you for the posts, the comments and the community. May God bless you and keep you all.
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Sung with my brothers and sisters in the Lord; Christmas Eve, darkened chapel, lit candle in hand.
So many years with my Evangelical friends.
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Thanks for the photo and warm wishes. Back atcha!
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The Christmas Truce: that miracle that happened in WWI
some events reveal who we were really meant to be on this Earth, and that wonderful true story is one of them, and all because the hymn was recognized by both ‘sides’ and hearts were touched
I have always loved that story. It recalls the true meaning of the Season, that there is hope cannot be quenched by the darkness.
Thanks for this post, Chaplain Mike.
May the Peace of Christ come to all Imonkers, and those they love, on the observance of this most holy night .
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https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181224.html
If you saw it from a satellite
With its green and its blue and white
The beauty of the curve of the earth
And its oceans below
You might think it was paradise
If you didn’t know
You might think that it’s turning
But it’s turning so slow
How long — can you hear someone crying
How long — can you watch someone dying
Before you ask yourself why?
How long will it be ’till we’ve turned
To the tasks and the lessons
That we’ve never learned?
How long ’till the voices of reason are drowned
and our bridges are burned?
How long?
-Jackson Browne “How Long?”
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it will rain tonight
the silent night will unfold
in unquiet streets
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A perfect song.
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An excellent and interesting article. Thanks for this. Your website is consistently interesting and thought-provoking – one of my favourite on the web. Journey with Jesus is also excellent.
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